Labor Analgesia Initiation With Dural Puncture Epidural Versus Conventional Epidural Techniques: A Randomized Biased-Coin Sequential Allocation Trial to Determine the Effective Dose for 90% of Patients of Bupivacaine.

BACKGROUND: The dural puncture epidural (DPE) technique has a faster onset, better sacral spread, and improved bilateral coverage when compared to the conventional epidural (EPL) technique. Whether these qualities translate into a lower bupivacaine dose to provide initial analgesia is unknown. We sought to determine the effective dose of bupivacaine to achieve initial (first 30 minutes) labor analgesia in 90% of patients (ED90) with the DPE and EPL techniques, using a biased-coin, sequential allocation method. METHODS: A total of 100 women of mixed parity with term, singleton gestation at ≤5 cm dilation with no major comorbidities were randomized to receive a DPE or an EPL technique. An experienced anesthesiologist performed these techniques and administered an allocated dose of plain bupivacaine diluted with isotonic sterile 0.9% saline to a total volume of 20 mL via the EPL catheter. Bupivacaine doses for each subject were determined by the response of the previous subject, using a biased-coin sequential allocation method, with success defined by a numeric rating scale (NRS) < 3 at 30 minutes. Outcome assessments were performed by an investigator blinded to the technique and bupivacaine dose. Sensory and motor blockade and maternal or fetal side effects were recorded every 5 minutes for the first 30 minutes. The ED90 of bupivacaine with each technique was estimated using centered isotonic regression. RESULTS: A total of 95 women were included in the final analysis. The ED90 of bupivacaine was estimated at 29.30 mg (90% confidence interval [CI], 28.55-31.56) with a DPE technique and 45.25 mg (90% CI, 42.80-52.03) with an EPL technique. CONCLUSIONS: Using a biased-coin, sequential allocation method, the DPE technique requires less bupivacaine to achieve effective initial analgesia (ED90) when compared to the EPL technique.

Labor prior to cesarean delivery associated with higher post-discharge opioid consumption.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute post-cesarean delivery (CD) pain has been associated with an increased risk for persistent pain and postpartum depression. Identification of women at increased risk for pain can be used to optimize post-cesarean analgesia. The impact of labor prior to CD (intrapartum CD) on acute post-operative pain and opioid use is unclear. We hypothesized that intrapartum CD, which has been associated with both increased inflammation and affective distress related to an unexpected surgical procedure, would result in higher postoperative pain scores and increased opioid intake. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study examining opioid use up to 2 weeks following CD. Women undergoing CD at six academic medical centers in the United States 9/2014-3/2016 were contacted by phone two weeks following discharge. Participants completed a structured interview that included questions about postoperative pain scores and opioid utilization. They were asked to retrospectively estimate their maximal pain score on an 11-point numeric rating scale at multiple time points, including day of surgery, during hospitalization, immediately after discharge, 1st week, and 2nd week following discharge. Pain scores over time were assessed utilizing a generalized linear mixed-effects model with the patient identifier being a random effect, adjusting for an a priori defined set of confounders. A multivariate negative binomial model was utilized to assess the association between intrapartum CD and opioid utilization after discharge, also adjusting for the same confounders. In the context of non-random prescription distribution, this model was constructed with an offset for the number of tablets dispensed. RESULTS: A total of 720 women were enrolled, 392 with and 328 without labor prior to CD. Patients with intrapartum CD were younger, less likely to undergo repeat CD or additional surgical procedures, and more likely to experience a complication of CD. Women with intrapartum CD consumed more opioid tablets following discharge than women without labor (median 20, IQR 10-30 versus 17, IQR 6-30; p = 0.005). This association persisted after adjustment for confounders (incidence rate ratio 1.16, 95% CI 1.05-1.29; p = 0.004). Pain scores on the day of surgery were higher in women with intrapartum CD (difference 0.91, 95% CI 0.52-1.30; adj. p = <0.001) even after adjustment for confounders. Pain scores at other time points were not meaningfully different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Intrapartum CD is associated with worse pain on the day of surgery but not other time points. Opioid requirements following discharge were modestly increased following intrapartum CD.

The Effect of the No Pain Labor & Delivery-Global Health Initiative on Cesarean Delivery and Neonatal Outcomes in China: An Interrupted Time-Series Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The proportion of live births by cesarean delivery (CD) in China is significant, with some, particularly rural, provinces reporting up to 62.5%. The No Pain Labor & Delivery-Global Health Initiative (NPLD-GHI) was established to improve obstetric and neonatal outcomes in China, including through a reduction of CD through educational efforts. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a reduction in CD at a rural Chinese hospital occurred after NPLD-GHI. We hypothesized that a reduction in CD trend would be observed. METHODS: The NPLD-GHI program visited the Weixian Renmin Hospital, Hebei Province, China, from June 15 to 21, 2014. The educational intervention included problem-based learning, bedside teaching, simulation drill training, and multidisciplinary debriefings. An interrupted time-series analysis using segmented logistic regression models was performed on data collected between June 1, 2013 and May 31, 2015 to assess whether the level and/or trend over time in the proportion of CD births would decline after the program intervention. The primary outcome was monthly proportion of CD births. Secondary outcomes included neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions and extended NICU length of stay, neonatal antibiotic and intubation use, and labor epidural analgesia use. RESULTS: Following NPLD-GHI, there was a level decrease in CD with an estimated odds ratio (95% confidence interval [CI]) of 0.87 (0.78-0.98), P = .017, with odds (95% CI) of monthly CD reduction an estimated 3% (1-5; P < .001), more in the post- versus preintervention periods. For labor epidural analgesia, there was a level increase (estimated odds ratio [95% CI] of 1.76 [1.48-2.09]; P < .001) and a slope decrease (estimated odds ratio [95% CI] of 0.94 [0.92-0.97]; P < .001). NICU admissions did not have a level change (estimated odds ratio [95% CI] of 0.99 [0.87-1.12]; P = .835), but the odds (95% CI) of monthly reduction in NICU admission was estimated 9% (7-11; P < .001), greater in post- versus preintervention. Neonatal intubation level and slope changes were not statistically significant. For neonatal antibiotic administration, while the level change was not statistically significant, there was a decrease in the slope with an odds (95% CI) of monthly reduction estimated 6% (3-9; P < .001), greater post- versus preintervention. CONCLUSIONS: In a large, rural Chinese hospital, live births by CD were lower following NPLD-GHI and associated with increased use of labor epidural analgesia. We also found decreasing NICU admissions. International-based educational programs can significantly alter practices associated with maternal and neonatal outcomes.

The Most Influential Publications in Obstetric Anesthesiology, 1998-2017: Utilizing the Delphi Method for Expert Consensus.

BACKGROUND: There have been many advances in obstetric anesthesiology in the past 2 decades. We sought to create a list of highly influential publications in the field using the Delphi method among a group of obstetric anesthesiology experts to create an important educational, clinical, and research resource. METHODS: Experts in the field, defined as obstetric anesthesiologists selected to present the Gerard W. Ostheimer Lecture at the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology (SOAP) annual meeting within the past 20 years, were recruited to participate. The Delphi technique was used by administering 3 rounds of surveys. Participants were initially asked to identify the highly influential publications from the year they presented the Ostheimer lecture, in addition to the most influential publications from the time period overall. Highly influential publications were defined as those that changed traditional views, invoked meaningful practices, catalyzed additional research, and fostered ideas or practices that had durability over time. After each round of surveys, responses were collected and used as choices for subsequent surveys with the goal of obtaining group consensus. RESULTS: We determined expert consensus on 22 highly influential publications from 1998 to 2017. The focus of these publications ranged from disease entities, interventions, treatment methodologies, and complications. CONCLUSIONS: Key themes in the publications chosen included the reduction of maternal morbidity and mortality and refinements in the analgesic and anesthetic management of labor and delivery.

Use of a novel non-invasive respiratory monitor to study changes in pulmonary ventilation during labor epidural analgesia.

Measuring continuous changes in maternal ventilation during labor neuraxial analgesia is technically difficult. Consequently, the magnitude of pulmonary minute ventilation (MV) alterations following labor analgesia remains unknown. We hypothesized that a novel, bio-impedance based non-invasive respiratory monitor would provide this information. Furthermore, we sought to determine if an association between changes in MV and maternal temperature existed. Following calibration with a Haloscale Standard Wright Respirometer, the ExSpiron respiratory volume monitor (RVM) measured MV, respiratory rate (RR), and tidal volume (TV) in 41 term parturients receiving epidural analgesia. Simultaneously, maternal oral temperatures were recorded at pre-specified hourly intervals after epidural analgesia initiation until delivery. Cumulative MV changes were calculated as the integral of MV change over time: MV [Formula: see text], where T represents the time between epidural placement and variable measurement. The association between changes in MV and cumulative MV versus maternal temperature was determined by comparing patients whose temperature did or did not increase by ≥ 0.5 °C. After initiation of epidural analgesia, MV decreased by 11.1 ± 27.6% [mean ± SD] at 30 min, p = 0.006, and 19.8 ± 26.1% at 2 h compared to baseline (12.6 ± 7.3 L/min at baseline vs. 15.3 ± 6.3 L/min at 2 h, p < 0.001), Minute ventilation remained decreased at 4 h by 14.3 ± 31.4% (p = 0.013). The cumulative MV also decreased by 437 ± 852 L [mean ± SD], p = 0.009) at 2 h and by 795 ± 1431 L, p < 0.001) at 4 h following epidural analgesia initiation, compared to baseline. The association between changes in cumulative MV and maternal temperature following epidural placement was weak (R < 0.3); however, a decrease in MV at 30 min (p = 0.002) and cumulative MV at 2 h (p = 0.012) was observed in women whose temperature increased by at least 0.5 °C during labor. Our findings suggest that RVM can be a useful noninvasive technology to investigate pulmonary physiology during labor. The association between maternal MV and temperature change during labor analgesia deserves further investigation.Trial Registrationwww.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02339389).

Average and time-specific maternal prenatal inflammatory biomarkers and the risk of labor epidural associated fever.

BACKGROUND: The use of labor epidural analgesia has been associated with intrapartum fever, known as labor epidural associated fever (LEAF). LEAF is most commonly non-infectious in origin and associated with elevated inflammatory cytokines. METHODS: The LIFECODES pregnancy cohort was designed to prospectively collect data to evaluate the association of maternal inflammatory biomarkers with preterm birth in women who delivered between 2007 and 2008 at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Our secondary analysis of the data from the cohort identified 182 women for whom inflammatory biomarkers (i.e. interleukin-10, interleukin-1ß, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α and C-reactive protein) collected longitudinally over four prenatal visits was available. Maternal temperature and other clinical variables were abstracted from medical records. The primary outcome, the presence of LEAF, was defined as oral temperature ≥ 38°C (≥100.4°F) after epidural analgesia initiation. Multivariable logistic regression estimated the association between inflammatory biomarker concentrations and the odds of developing an intrapartum fever after adjusting for a number of potential confounders. RESULTS: Women who developed LEAF were more likely to have a longer duration of epidural analgesia, whereas women who did not develop LEAF were more likely to have induced labor and positive or unknown Group B Streptococcus colonization status. However, no differences were seen by nulliparity, mode of delivery, white blood cell count at admission, baseline temperature, length of rupture of membranes and number of cervical exams performed during labor. Unadjusted and multivariable logistic regression models did not provide evidence for or exclude an association between individual maternal inflammatory biomarkers and the odds of developing LEAF, regardless of visit time-period. CONCLUSION: The predictive value of maternal inflammatory biomarkers measured during early- and mid-pregnancy for the risk of developing LEAF cannot be excluded.

Risk Factors, Etiologies, and Screening Tools for Sepsis in Pregnant Women: A Multicenter Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Given the significant morbidity and mortality of maternal sepsis, early identification is key to improve outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the performance characteristics of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), quick Sequential [Sepsis-related] Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA), and maternal early warning (MEW) criteria for identifying cases of impending sepsis in parturients. The secondary objective of this study is to identify etiologies and risk factors for maternal sepsis and to assess timing of antibiotics in patients diagnosed with sepsis. METHODS: Validated maternal sepsis cases during the delivery hospitalization from 1995 to 2012 were retrospectively identified at 7 academic medical centers in the United States and Israel. Control patients were matched by date of delivery in a 1:4 ratio. The sensitivity and specificity of SIRS, qSOFA, and MEW criteria for identifying sepsis were calculated. Data including potential risk factors, vital signs, laboratory values, and clinical management were collected for cases and controls. RESULTS: Eighty-two sepsis cases during the delivery hospitalization were identified and matched to 328 controls. The most common causes of sepsis were the following: chorioamnionitis 20 (24.4%), endometritis 19 (23.2%), and pneumonia 9 (11.0%). Escherichia coli 12 (14.6%), other Gram-negative rods 8 (9.8%), and group A Streptococcus 6 (7.3%) were the most commonly found pathogens. The sensitivities and specificities for meeting criteria for screening tools were as follows: (1) SIRS (0.93, 0.63); (2) qSOFA (0.50, 0.95); and (3) MEW criteria for identifying sepsis (0.82, 0.87). Of 82 women with sepsis, 10 (12.2%) died. The mortality rate for those who received antibiotics within 1 hour of diagnosis was 8.3%. The mortality rate was 20% for the patients who received antibiotics after >1 hour. CONCLUSIONS: Chorioamnionitis and endometritis were the most common causes of sepsis, together accounting for about half of cases. Notable differences were observed in the sensitivity and specificity of sepsis screening tools with the highest to lowest sensitivity being SIRS, MEW, and qSOFA criteria, and the highest to lowest specificity being qSOFA, MEW, and SIRS. Mortality was doubled in the cohort of patients who received antibiotics after >1 hour. Clinicians need to be vigilant to identify cases of peripartum sepsis early in its course and prioritize timely antibiotic therapy.

Effect of class III and class IV obesity on oocyte retrieval complications and outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of class III (body mass index [BMI] 40-49.9 kg/m2) and class IV obesity (BMI ≥ 50 kg/m2) on oocyte retrieval complications and outcomes. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Academic center. PATIENT(S): Women who underwent an oocyte retrieval from January 1, 2012 to May 31, 2017. Women with BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 (n = 144) were age-matched to women with BMI <25, 25-29.9, 30-34.9, and 35-39.9 kg/m2 (n = 1,016). INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Anesthetic and procedural outcomes during oocyte retrieval. RESULT(S): Overall, 1,924 of 1,947 oocyte retrievals (98.8%) were performed under total intravenous anesthesia. No patients with BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 required intraoperative conversion to endotracheal intubation or hospital admission. Two patients (0.8%) with BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 required a laryngeal mask airway intraoperatively owing to oxygen desaturation. An oral/nasal airway was used to resolve oxygen desaturation in 16 patients (6.25%) with BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2, compared with in 17 patients (1.0%) with BMI < 40 kg/m2. As BMI increased, a statistically significant increase in propofol dose, fentanyl dose, and procedure time was observed. Eighteen patients (7.0%) with BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2 underwent a transabdominal retrieval, compared with 15 (0.9%) with BMI < 40 kg/m2. CONCLUSION(S): Serious intraoperative and postoperative complications were uncommon across all BMI groups, though minor complications were more common with class III and class IV obesity. These patients were also more likely to require higher doses of propofol and fentanyl, have longer oocyte retrievals, and require a transabdominal retrieval. Overall, oocyte retrieval can be safely performed as an outpatient procedure in women with class III and class IV obesity.

Identifying Barriers to Implementation of the National Partnership for Maternal Safety Obstetric Hemorrhage Bundle at a Tertiary Center: Utilization of the Delphi Method.

BACKGROUND: In 2015, the National Partnership for Maternal Safety (NPMS) developed an obstetric hemorrhage consensus bundle to provide birthing facilities in the United States with consistent, validated practice guidelines for postpartum hemorrhage management. The process of implementing each bundle element at a large tertiary labor and delivery unit has not been described; we sought to identify practice deficiencies and perceived barriers to bundle implementation among multidisciplinary providers. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, cross-sectional, consensus-building study based on the Delphi method. A multidisciplinary expert panel comprised of anesthesiologists, obstetricians, nurses, and surgical technicians was assembled and participated in 4 sequential questionnaires. The first round identified bundle elements that experts determined as not currently adequate and perceived barriers to implementation. The second round established prioritization of elements within each professional group; and the third round ranked the elements with at least 60% agreement on feasibility of implementation and positive impact on patient care. The last round revealed responses across all 4 professional groups to derive a final consensus. Descriptive statistics were performed. RESULTS: A total of 38 experts completed the study (11 anesthesiologists, 11 obstetricians, 10 nurses, and 6 surgical technicians). While all 13 (100%) NPMS obstetric bundle elements were described as deficient in our labor and delivery unit by a provider in at least 1 discipline, consensus among at least 3 of the 4 disciplines was achieved for 6 element deficiencies. Barriers to implementation were determined. The initiatives that achieved consensus as possessing high patient impact and implementation feasibility were protocol-driven management, unit-based simulation drills, blood loss quantification, and team huddles and debriefings. CONCLUSIONS: The NPMS obstetric hemorrhage bundle was created to help guide practice and systems improvement for US birthing facilities. The Delphi method enabled identification of deficient elements and perceived barriers to element implementation, as well as group consensus on elements with highest patient impact and feasibility. Multidisciplinary group consensus can identify deficiencies and promote tangible, quality improvements in a large, tertiary-care labor and delivery unit. Institutions may utilize our described technique to guide implementation of future care bundles.

Predictors of Achieving Recommended Daily Physical Activity Among Anesthesiologists at a Large Tertiary Care Academic Center.

BACKGROUND: The goal of the current study was to determine if the daily work patterns of anesthesiologists meet the recommended daily levels of activity. METHODS: Attending and resident anesthesiologists at a tertiary academic center were invited to participate. The subjects wore a pedometer during five regular clinical days at work and recorded the number of steps walked. The participants also completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) during one regular week. The results were analyzed using analysis of variance, Chi-square test and multivariate linear regression using STATA 12.1. RESULTS: During work, attending, compared with senior and junior resident, anesthesiologists had the most steps (5,953 ± 1,213, 5,153 ± 905, and 5,710 ± 1,513 steps, respectively, P = 0.2). Outside work, senior residents had the highest level of activity (3,592 ± 1,626 metabolic equivalent of task (MET)-minutes/week) compared to junior residents (1,788 ± 1,089 MET-minutes/week) and attending (2,104 ± 1,594 MET-minutes/week, P = 0.005); the percentage of recommended daily level of activity represented by this outside activity was senior residents (78.5%), junior residents (27%) and attending (21%) anesthesiologists (P = 0.002). When activity at and outside work was combined, most anesthesiologists met the recommended 10,000 steps daily, P < 0.009. CONCLUSIONS: The daily physical activity of faculty and trainee anesthesiologists at work in a busy tertiary care is low active. However, when additional physical activity is pursued outside of work, most anesthesiologists met recommended daily levels of activity. These results highlight the inadequacy of daily activity at work, and the need to pursue additional physical activity outside of work; such awareness can assist in promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Labor therapeutics and BMI as risk factors for postpartum preeclampsia: A case-control study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims at identifying associations between therapeutics used during labor and the occurrence of postpartum preeclampsia (PPPE), a poorly understood entity. STUDY DESIGN AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: This is a case-control study of women who received an ICD-9 code for PPPE (cases) during the years 2009-2011, compared to women with a normotensive term pregnancy, delivery and postpartum period until discharge (controls), matched on age (±1year) and delivery date (±3months). Cases were defined as women having a normotensive term pregnancy, delivery and initial postpartum period (48h post-delivery) but developing hypertension between 48h and 6weeks postpartum. Single variable and multiple variable models were used to determine significant risk factors. RESULTS: Forty-three women with PPPE were compared to 86 controls. Use of vasopressors and oxytocin did not differ between cases and controls, but rate of fluids administered during labor (OR=1.68 per 100cc/h; 95% CI: 1.09-2.59, p=0.02) and an elevated pre-pregnancy/first trimester BMI (OR=1.18 per kg/m2, 95% CI: 1.07-1.3, p=0.001) were identified as significant risk factors in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: We identified two potentially modifiable risk factors for PPPE; further studies are needed to better define the role of these two variables in the development of PPPE.

A prospective study of post-cesarean delivery hypoxia after spinal anesthesia with intrathecal morphine 150µg.

INTRODUCTION: Delayed respiratory depression is a feared complication of intrathecal morphine in patients undergoing cesarean delivery. The incidence, timing and risk factors for hypoxia in this population are not known. METHODS: Patients undergoing cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia at a tertiary care center from October 2012 to March 2016 were included in the study. The Berlin sleep apnea Questionnaire was completed before surgery. Oxygen saturation was recorded every second for 24hours after the initiation of spinal anesthesia. Desaturation events were defined as a median saturation of <90% (mild) or <85% (severe) across a 30-s period. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine predictors of a desaturation event. RESULTS: A total of 721 patients were included in the analysis. Within this cohort, 169 women (23%) experienced at least one mild desaturation event, 91 (13%) experienced two or more mild desaturations, and 26 (4%) suffered a severe desaturation event. After the administration of intrathecal morphine, the median times to first mild or first severe desaturation were 7.4 (IQR 4.1-13.5)h and 12.0 (IQR 5.4-19.6)h, respectively. Patients who screened positive for sleep apnea had increased odds of having a mild desaturation event (OR 2.31, 95% CI 1.40 to 3.79, P=0.001), as did patients who were obese (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.05 to 3.09, P=0.033). CONCLUSIONS: Mild hypoxemia occurred frequently in women receiving intrathecal morphine 150µg for post-cesarean analgesia. Desaturations were observed most frequently 4-8hours after administration of intrathecal morphine. Obesity and a positive Berlin Questionnaire were risk factors for hypoxemic events.

Patterns of Opioid Prescription and Use After Cesarean Delivery.

OBJECTIVE: To define the amount of opioid analgesics prescribed and consumed after discharge after cesarean delivery. METHODS: We conducted a survey at six academic medical centers in the United States from September 2014 to March 2016. Women who had undergone a cesarean delivery were contacted by phone 2 weeks after discharge and participated in a structured interview about the opioid prescription they received on discharge and their oral opioid intake while at home. RESULTS: A total of 720 women were enrolled; of these, 615 (85.4%) filled an opioid prescription. The median number of dispensed opioid tablets was 40 (interquartile range 30-40), the median number consumed was 20 (interquartile range 8-30), and leftover was 15 (interquartile range 3-26). Of those with leftover opioids, 95.3% had not disposed of the excess medication at the time of the interview. There was an association between a larger number of tablets dispensed and the number consumed independent of patient characteristics. The amount of opioids dispensed did not correlate with patient satisfaction, pain control, or the need to refill the opioid prescription. CONCLUSION: The amount of opioid prescribed after cesarean delivery generally exceeds the amount consumed by a significant margin, leading to substantial amounts of leftover opioid medication. Lower opioid prescription correlates with lower consumption without a concomitant increase in pain scores or satisfaction.

Cross-Disciplinary Perceptions of Structured Interprofessional Rounds in Promoting Teamwork Within an Academic Tertiary Care Obstetric Unit.

BACKGROUND: In 2005, physician and nursing leaders at Brigham and Women's Hospital initiated structured interprofessional rounds (SIPRs) on the labor and delivery (L&D) suite to improve team communication. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of providers' perceptions of SIPRs and their effectiveness in improving teamwork. We hypothesized that on average, providers would perceive SIPRs as being effective in promoting teamwork, but ratings would differ among professional groups. METHODS: After a factor analysis and internal consistency assessment, a 19-item paper-based questionnaire was used to evaluate providers' perceptions using a 5-point Likert scale. Respondents included L&D nurses, midwives, obstetricians, and anesthesiologists who participate in SIPRs. The primary aim was to evaluate the providers' perceptions of SIPRs and their association with professional roles. The outcome was total response score for each provider, ranging from 19 to 95; perception of SIPRs as being effective in promoting teamwork was defined as having a total response score of >66.5 (mean score, >3.5 per question). A univariable linear regression model was performed, followed by a multivariable analysis adjusting for predictors that modified the outcome; predictors included years of professional practice, years of experience on the L&D suite, number of clinical work hours worked weekly, and principal shift assignment among nurses. The associations between these predictors and providers' perceptions were assessed as a secondary aim. RESULTS: A total of 234 practitioners responded (100% response rate). The mean total response score (SD) for all providers was 73.3 (9.5). After multivariable adjustment, the mean total response scores were significantly higher for obstetric providers than for anesthesia (Δ mean, 6.5, 95% CI, 0.3, 12.7 P = .036) and midwifery (Δ mean, 12.5, 95% CI, 2.0, 23.0, P = .009) providers. Providers scored significantly lower if they worked >60 clinical hours per week compared with ≤20 (Δ mean, -13.7, 95% CI, -25.3, -2.1, P = .009), 21-40 (Δ mean, -8.0, 95% CI, -15.8, -0.09, P = .049), or 41-60 hours (Δ mean, -8.1, 95% CI, -14.5, -1.7, P = .004). Duration of practice in professional role and experience on the L&D suite were not predictive of SIPRs ratings. CONCLUSIONS: On average, providers on the L&D suite perceive SIPRs as being effective in promoting teamwork. Perception ratings were significantly influenced by professional role and number of clinical hours worked weekly, suggesting that these factors should be explored in future research to minimize perception gaps and support a dynamic culture of interprofessional collaboration.

Dural Puncture Epidural Technique Improves Labor Analgesia Quality With Fewer Side Effects Compared With Epidural and Combined Spinal Epidural Techniques: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: The dural puncture epidural (DPE) technique is a modification of the combined spinal epidural (CSE) technique, where a dural perforation is created from a spinal needle but intrathecal medication administration is withheld. The DPE technique has been shown to improve caudal spread of analgesia compared with epidural (EPL) technique without the side effects observed with the CSE technique. We hypothesized that the onset of labor analgesia would follow this order: CSE > DPE > EPL techniques. METHODS: A total of 120 parturients in early labor were randomly assigned to EPL, DPE, or CSE groups. Initial dosing for EPL and DPE consisted of epidural 20 mL of 0.125% bupivacaine plus fentanyl 2 µg/mL over 5 minutes, and for CSE, intrathecal 0.25% bupivacaine 1.7 mg and fentanyl 17 µg. Upon block completion, a blinded coinvestigator assessed the outcomes. Two blinded obstetricians retrospectively interpreted uterine contractions and fetal heart rate tracings 1 hour before and after the neuraxial technique. The primary outcome was time to numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) ≤ 1 analyzed by using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard model. Secondary outcomes included block quality, maternal adverse effects, uterine contraction patterns, and fetal outcomes analyzed by using the χ test with Yates continuity correction. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the time to NPRS ≤ 1 between DPE and EPL (hazard ratio 1.4; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.83-2.4, P = .21). DPE achieved NPRS ≤ 1 significantly slower than CSE (hazard ratio 0.36; 95% CI 0.22-0.59, P = .0001). The median times (interquartile range) to NPRS ≤ 1 were 2 (0.5-6) minutes for CSE, 11 (4-120) minutes for DPE, and 18 (10-120) minutes for EPL. Compared with EPL, DPE had significantly greater incidence of bilateral S2 blockade at 10 minutes (risk ratio [RR] 2.13; 95% CI 1.39-3.28; P < .001), 20 minutes (RR 1.60; 95% CI 1.26-2.03; P < .001), and 30 minutes (RR 1.18; 95% CI 1.01-1.30; P < .034), a lower incidence of asymmetric block after 30 minutes (RR 0.19; 95% CI 0.07-0.51; P < .001) and physician top-up intervention (RR 0.45; 95% CI 0.23-0.86; P = .011). Compared with CSE, DPE had a significantly lower incidence of pruritus (RR 0.15; 95% CI 0.06-0.38; P < .001), hypotension (RR 0.38; 95% CI 0.15-0.98; P = .032), combined uterine tachysystole and hypertonus (RR 0.22; 95% CI 0.08-0.60; P < .001), and physician top-up intervention (RR 0.45; 95% CI 0.23-0.86; p = .011). CONCLUSIONS: Analgesia onset was most rapid with CSE with no difference between DPE and EPL techniques. The DPE technique has improved block quality over the EPL technique with fewer maternal and fetal side effects than the CSE technique for parturients requesting early labor analgesia.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Music Use During Epidural Catheter Placement on Laboring Parturient Anxiety, Pain, and Satisfaction.

BACKGROUND: Although music is frequently used to promote a relaxing environment during labor and delivery, the effect of its use during the placement of neuraxial techniques is unknown. Our study sought to determine the effects of music use on laboring parturients during epidural catheter placement, with the hypothesis that music use would result in lower anxiety, lower pain, and greater patient satisfaction. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled trial of laboring parturients undergoing epidural catheter placement with or without music. The music group listened to the patient's preferred music on a Pandora® station broadcast through an external amplified speaker; the control group listened to no music. All women received a standardized epidural technique and local anesthetic dose. The primary outcomes were 3 measures of anxiety. Secondary outcomes included pain, patient satisfaction, hemodynamic parameters, obstetric parameters, neonatal outcomes, and anesthesia provider anxiety. Intention-to-treat analysis with Bonferroni correction was used for the primary outcomes. For secondary outcomes, a P value of <.001 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 100 parturients were randomly assigned, with 99 included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Patient characteristics were similar in both groups; in the music group, the duration of music use was 31.1 ± 7.7 minutes (mean ± SD). The music group experienced higher anxiety as measured by Numeric Rating Scale scores immediately after epidural catheter placement (2.9 ± 3.3 vs 1.4 ± 1.7, mean difference 1.5 [95% confidence interval {CI} 0.2-2.7], P = .02), and as measured by fewer parturients being "very much relaxed" 1 hour after epidural catheter placement (51% vs 78%, odds ratio {OR} 0.3 [95% CI 0.1-0.9], P = .02). No differences in mean pain scores immediately after placement or patient satisfaction with the overall epidural placement experience were observed; however, the desire for music use with future epidural catheter placements was higher in the music group (84% vs 45%, OR 6.4 [95% CI 2.5-16.5], P < .0001). No differences in the difficulty with the epidural catheter placement or in the rate of cesarean delivery were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Music use during epidural catheter placement in laboring parturients is associated with higher postprocedure anxiety and no improvement in pain or satisfaction; however, a stronger desire for music with future epidural catheter placements was observed. Further investigation is needed to determine the effect of music use in parturients requesting and using epidural labor analgesia.

Maternal outcomes of term breech presentation delivery: impact of successful external cephalic version in a nationwide sample of delivery admissions in the United States.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to define the frequency and predictors of successful external cephalic version in a nationally-representative cohort of women with breech presentations and to compare maternal outcomes associated with successful external cephalic version versus persistent breech presentation. METHODS: Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a United States healthcare utilization database, we identified delivery admissions between 1998 and 2011 for women who had successful external cephalic version or persistent breech presentation (including unsuccessful or no external cephalic version attempt) at term. Multivariable logistic regression identified patient and hospital-level factors associated with successful external cephalic version. Maternal outcomes were compared between women who had successful external cephalic version versus persistent breech. RESULTS: Our study cohort comprised 1,079,576 delivery admissions with breech presentation; 56,409 (5.2 %) women underwent successful external cephalic version and 1,023,167 (94.8 %) women had persistent breech presentation at the time of delivery. The rate of cesarean delivery was lower among women who had successful external cephalic version compared to those with persistent breech (20.2 % vs. 94.9 %; p < 0.001). Compared to women with persistent breech at the time of delivery, women with successful external cephalic version were also less likely to experience several measures of significant maternal morbidity including endometritis (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) = 0.36, 95 % Confidence Interval (CI) 0.24-0.52), sepsis (aOR = 0.35, 95 % CI 0.24-0.51) and length of stay > 7 days (aOR = 0.53, 95 % CI 0.40-0.70), but had a higher risk of chorioamnionitis (aOR = 1.83, 95 % CI 1.54-2.17). CONCLUSIONS: Overall a low proportion of women with breech presentation undergo successful external cephalic version, and it is associated with significant reduction in the frequency of cesarean delivery and a number of measures of maternal morbidity. Increased external cephalic version use may be an important approach to mitigate the high rate of cesarean delivery observed in the United States.